Speaking to thousands of young adults, many of whom had served a mission, President Jeffrey R. Holland recalled four friends who substantially affected his own decision to serve — Stephen Jones, Wendell Gray, Mervin Cox and R.J. Snow.
“It was obvious that on their missions they had experienced a ‘mighty change’ (Alma 5:14),” said the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “They had come closer to the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Although already exemplary young men before their missions, “after going to the temple and serving their missions they became above-the-rim examples of what it means to be a disciple of Christ, to embrace His gospel and serve His Church.”
He added: “Whenever I saw them out on a date or at a ballgame or heard them speak in church, I simply said, ‘I want to be like that. If that is what a mission does, making friends like this even greater disciples of Christ, then I want to serve a mission.’”
In a Sunday, Aug. 31, devotional concluding the 2025 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference, President Holland issued his Conference Center-sized battalion of YSAs an invitation: Keep up the spiritual momentum.
“I hope you, as young adults, will set the kind of example in your spirit of improvement that if my grandchildren saw you today, ... they would say, ‘I want to be like that.’”
That’s what President Holland’s four friends did for him, and it changed his life. “They simply kept adding to the ‘mighty change’ which the temple and their mission had begun. I want you to do it for my grandchildren and the rest of the children and youth in the Church who will be watching.”
In his remarks, titled “Coming to Christ: Pivotal Moments From My Youth,” President Holland recounted three key experiences from his young adulthood that started his discipleship journey toward Jesus Christ: mission, school and marriage. He then offered the young adults guidance in similar pivotal experiences in life.
“I am totally convinced that it is the young adult age group of this Church, single and married, that offers the richest resource we have anywhere, solid gold that to some degree is lost to us because we have left it largely untapped.”
Consistent progress even after missionary service
Serving a mission as a young adult initially didn’t seem wise for President Holland — no members in his family had served before, his family didn’t have much money, and he received limited encouragement to go.
Yet the opportunity to serve in Great Britain from 1960 to 1962 “proved to be monumental in my early young adult years and my relationship to Christ,” he said.
Inviting returned missionaries to cling to the change of heart from mission experiences, President Holland said: “Things are just beginning to get exciting. Keep it up. Keep moving. Keep scoring.”
The rights that returned missionaries fought for and the wrongs they fought against still exist, he said. “But I fear that some of you have dropped out of the fight.” He added that “we have all kinds of work to do” before the Savior’s Second Coming.
“Please realize that in the doctrine of eternal progression, at some point you were released from your mission. But remember, you were not released from your temple covenants nor your continuing conversion toward being more and more like the Savior.”
Serving a mission is not just an item to check off on a to-do list, said President Holland, because “in this Church we believe in consistent, calculated, eternal progress.”
“Don’t forget what your mission was like,” he urged. “I ask you to keep going — keep up your prayers and study and other spiritual habits taken from your mission.”
Divine revelation in schooling
Two semesters before graduation at BYU, President Holland still had not declared a major. Eventually he did, only after a great deal of prayer, soul searching and revelation.
Standing in the Harold B. Lee Library, he received heavenly guidance about what his major should be and learned something of what to do with it. He still remembers where he was and what he was wearing when he received the revelation.
“That is amazing, when you think about it,” said President Holland, “that Father in Heaven would reach down to grab me, an absolute nobody, and direct my early study.”
He then promised the young adults: “If you are trying to draw close to the Savior and you have a relationship started with your Father in Heaven and you are striving to improve every year, you can count on revelation to guide you. ... Be strong. Be patient. Stay the task. Keep your head up.”
President Holland shared an apocryphal story of Abraham Lincoln, who experienced failure after failure in the early days of his political life. One friend told him: “Abe, why don’t you quit? You are just not cut out for politics.” Lincoln in return said, “I will prepare, and perhaps my chance will come” — and he would later become 16th president of the United States.
“Be a learner,” said President Holland. “Know how to do things. Know that, especially in pursuing the work and the will of the Lord, the scriptures and the words of the prophets provide a syllabus that never grows old.”
Seeking the eternal in marriage
President Holland lovingly described the virtue and devotion of his late wife, Sister Patricia Holland, who even as a young adult helped her future husband want to serve a mission.
President Holland said: “On into our married life, she was always ready to have both of us accept any calling in the Church, always ready to have family prayer and family home evening even in a busy calendar, she was devoted all of her life to studying the scriptures, to paying tithing and so on.”
Underscoring the preciousness of temple marriage, President Holland explained that “nothing in this Church is to prepare us for the terrestrial kingdom.” It’s a truth that he said has brought him comfort following his companion’s death after 60 years of marriage.
“If I thought I was not going to see her and be with her in eternity,” he said, “I would be inconsolable, regardless of who tried to extend that consolation. And I don’t think I would be anywhere near this pulpit. But I will see her, and if I am worthy, I will be with her in eternity.”
Encouraging YSAs in their own pursuit of marriage, President Holland testified: “As you draw closer to Christ — He who is your ultimate companion, friend and exemplar — our Father in Heaven will someday, somewhere, in some way lead you to the most important friend you will ever meet” — the person they will marry.
Friendship with this celestial companion, he said, will be enhanced dramatically by coming unto the Savior — “progress you make first alone, then next as a couple, even if it means waiting for a long time to find this partner and see the power of a righteous marriage in action.”
The Book of Mormon ‘will change and can even save your life’
Elder Brian K. Taylor, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s Utah Area, spoke on the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and of Joseph Smith’s prophetic commission to translate it.
He showed a video clip of a September 1986 BYU devotional he had attended, where Sister Holland said: “Every day you are here, read at least one verse in the Book of Mormon — and more if you can. ... And I promise you, if you do this, you will see miracles happen.”
After hearing those words, Elder Taylor recommitted himself that night to never miss a day reading the Book of Mormon. Sister Jill Taylor, now his wife, was also touched by Sister Holland’s testimony nearly four decades ago and found strengthening power in the Book of Mormon through her challenges.
Elder Taylor testified of Nephi’s words in the book, when he said, “Whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish” (1 Nephi 15:24).
“If you are not already feasting upon the words of Christ in its pages, I invite — even urge — you to make that commitment and start tonight,” said Elder Taylor. “I promise it will change and can even save your life.”
What young adults were saying
Amelia Latu from Ogden, Utah, was inspired to focus on the small and simple things that grow her relationship with Jesus Christ. “Even though I have so many questions regarding specific aspects of my life — regarding school, regarding dating — I think the main focus for me is trying to build my relationship with my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Jeemin Kim from San Francisco, California — now attending BYU in Provo, Utah — recently completed a mission in July and felt President Holland’s address applied specifically to him. “It gave me more guidance to remain focused on Jesus Christ and not to lose myself and the habits I have built up.”
A message that stuck out to Deanine Dilworth, from Las Vegas, Nevada, was of choosing friends who can help her develop spiritually. “If they’re not people helping you stay on track, then they’re not going to help you grow closer to Jesus Christ.”
Caroline Rupper from Sandy, Utah, was struck by how relevant the devotional was to her as a young adult. “It’s incredible how much he connected to my concerns,” she said. “I feel grateful that I got to be there and hear his message to the young adults of the Church.”
